The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Reduce” by Analysts

Shares of The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) have been assigned an average rating of “Reduce” from the twenty-two research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $8.0375.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on WEN. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Wendy’s from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 16th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $6.00 target price on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $8.00 price target on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Argus upgraded Wendy’s from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $12.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, May 13th.

Wendy’s Stock Performance

NASDAQ WEN opened at $7.65 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.81, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.36. Wendy’s has a 1-year low of $6.07 and a 1-year high of $10.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.25, a current ratio of 1.83 and a quick ratio of 1.81. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $7.41 and its 200-day simple moving average is $7.45.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last issued its earnings results on Friday, May 8th. The restaurant operator reported $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.10 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $432.30 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $518.03 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 136.46% and a net margin of 6.77%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.20 EPS. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Wendy’s will post 0.58 EPS for the current year.

Wendy’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st were paid a dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 1st. Wendy’s’s payout ratio is currently 71.79%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Wendy’s

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Wendy’s during the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its holdings in Wendy’s by 161.0% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 3,829 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 2,362 shares during the period. Gen Wealth Partners Inc purchased a new position in Wendy’s in the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Wendy’s in the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. acquired a new stake in Wendy’s in the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.96% of the company’s stock.

About Wendy’s

The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) operates as a global quick-service restaurant chain, best known for its square-shaped beef patties, fresh ingredient sourcing and signature Frosty dessert. The company’s menu features a variety of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, breakfast sandwiches, sides and beverages, designed to appeal to a broad customer base seeking both classic and contemporary fast-food options. Wendy’s has placed particular emphasis on product innovation, introducing limited-time offerings and revamped core menu items to maintain customer interest and respond to evolving dining trends.

Founded in 1969 by entrepreneur Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy’s expanded rapidly through both company-owned and franchised outlets.